Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Chapter Eighteen:
Dobby's Reward

Synopsis © 2002 William Silvester, revisions © 2006 Michele L. Worley
Notes and links by Michele L. Worley

US hardcover edition: pages 327 - 341
UK paperback edition: pages 351 - 366
Timeframe: Saturday 29 May - Saturday 19 June, 1993 [Y13]

In which Harry tells his story to Dumbledore, McGonagall, Arthur Weasley, and Molly Weasley, Ginny and Lockhart are sent to hospital, Lucius Malfoy arrives with Dobby, and Harry tricks Lucius into freeing Dobby.

Interesting facts and notes about the text of this chapter:

This chapter wraps up various loose ends, by explaining who Dobby's wizarding family is and what their involvement with the diary was. Dobby also receives his just reward.

Ignoring the elf bobbing apologetically around his ankles...

The same applies, of course, to Sirius Black's relationship with Kreacher, though the tenor of that relationship differs from that between Dobby and the Malfoys.

Characters introduced in this chapter:

• none

Characters returning in this chapter:

• Dobby

• Dumbledore, Albus

• Fawkes

• Finch-Fletchley, Justin

• Granger, Hermione

• Hagrid, Rubeus

• Lockhart, Gilderoy

• Malfoy, Draco

• Malfoy, Lucius

• McGonagall, Minerva

• Potter, Harry

• Weasley, Arthur

• Weasley, Fred

• Weasley, George

• Weasley, Ginny

• Weasley, Molly

• Weasley, Ron

Characters mentioned in this chapter:

• Aragog

• Clearwater, Penelope

• Dursley, Dudley

• Dursley, Petunia

• Dursley, Vernon

• Gryffindor, Godric

• monster of Slytherin

• Pomfrey, Poppy

• Riddle, Tom Marvolo (as the Dark Lord, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, Voldemort, and You-Know-Who)

• Slytherin, Salazar

• Weasley, Percy

• (surname unknown) Myrtle

• 11 unnamed school governors of Hogwarts

Settings and locations introduced in this chapter:

• none

Settings and locations returning in this chapter:

• Hogwarts Express

• Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

  • Great Hall

  • McGonagall's office

• King's Cross Station

Settings and locations mentioned in this chapter:

• Albania

• Azkaban

• Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

  • Chamber of Secrets, the

  • Forbidden Forest, the

Exceptional character moments:

• Lucius Malfoy's arrogance in ignoring Dobby throughout his encounter with Dumbledore and Harry.

Spells:

• Memory Charm

Links and Resources:

• blood status

• Daily Prophet

• Defence Against the Dark Arts

• items and devices, magical

  • diary, enchanted

  • Exploding Snap

  • Filibuster Fireworks

  • Gryffindor's sword

  • Sorting Hat

  • wands

• essays

  • Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Socks

  • Prejudice: A Great Theme of the Books

• Hogwarts Express

• House Cup

• house-elves

• House points - CS

• Mandrake restorative draught

• Muggle Protection Act

• Parseltongue

• Special Award for Services to the School

Memorable lines:

• "Ginny!" said Mr. Weasley, flabbergasted. "Haven't I taught you anything? What have I always told you? Never trust anything that can think for itself if you can't see where it keeps its brain?"

• "It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." [Dumbledore]

• "We'll be needing a new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher...Dear me, we do seem to run through them, don't we?" [Dumbledore]

• ...or Dumbledore announcing that, unfortunately, Professor Lockhart would be unable to return next year, owing to the fact that he needed to go away and get his memory back. Quite a few of the teachers joined in the cheering that greeted this news.

Strictly British:

• Head Boy

• holiday

• prefect

• sacked

• trifle

Timeline/Calendar:

The scenes in McGonagall's office and the corridor outside take place immediately after the events of the previous chapter. The rest of the term is summarized in a paragraph, and the closing scenes take place on board the Hogwarts Express and in King's Cross Station at term's end.